10 Wrestling Matches Everybody Wanted (But Nobody Watched)
1. Big E's First World Title Win
Much like the CM Punk Vs. MJF entry, this is as distressing to confront as it is difficult to reconcile.
Everybody loves Big E. It doesn't matter which promotion one prefers; the character radiates such warmth and charisma, where the man himself is renowned for being one of the nicest fellows in the industry, that he dissolves those silly barriers. This is a man who broke his neck, was extremely lucky not to have been paralysed, and, facing gutting retirement, was principally interested in letting his fans know he was both OK and harboured no ill will towards Ridge Holland.
Big E was fan-cast as WWE Champion years before he captured the title. It was a realistic choice, too. There's no "top guy" value Big E doesn't embody. He's built like a tank, he can go at a level expected of the modern pro wrestler, he can welcome you all to Monday Night Raw and threaten to kick your ass, he's impossible not to like, he puts smiles on people's face, and he himself naturally wears the smile that Vince McMahon is insistent on surgically applying to his roster.
Faced with stiff competition in the form of NFL, Big E announced his intention to cash in his MITB briefcase on the September 13, 2021 Raw - all but confirming a major title switch - but the show recorded its lowest rating in two months regardless.
It was a damn shame that Big E's career pinnacle doubled as a stunt, and that he was framed as sly and opportunistic in facing a beaten-down Bobby Lashley. WWE can't book babyfaces, even the best ones, and perhaps fans sensed the out-of-character desperation.